November 2008 Archives

Your stay in Brooks should be quite interesting. There are several hotels and motels you could stay at if you are travelling on a shoestring budget. If you want to really enjoy your stay then you should stay at this rustic ranch house that borders the Dinosaur Provincial Park. The ranch is a bit on the outskirts of the city but is perfect if you just want to visit the park and spend time enjoying the great outdoors. The wildlife, star-studded skies, prairie walks, beautiful sunrises and sunsets should do wonders to calm your jangled nerves. To book the ranch, built in 1904 click here.

If you want a simple no frills trip, you can stay at the hotels described on this website. The advantage you have of staying here is that you will be within the city.

If you want to purchase a home of your own in this sleepy city then you can check out this website.

To visit Dinosaur Provincial Park you must find accommodation in Brooks, Alberta, Canada.
Brooks is a city in Southern Alberta and is 168 kilometres southeast of Calgary on the Trans- Canada Highway. Having become a city just in 2005, Brooks is quite peaceful with just the right amount of development for it to make your stay luxurious and just the right amount of solitude for you to truly relax.
There are three provincial parks in the region. I have already talked about the Dinosaur Provincial Park (To visit their website click here). The other two are the Kinbrook Island Provincial Park and the Tillebrook Provincial Park.
During the winter months, the Brooks Bandits play in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Having joined the league in 2000, the bandits enjoy a lot of popularity. In 2005, the bandits advanced to the playoffs for the first time but lost to the Camrose Kodiaks.
If you want to holiday in Brooks then you must visit it in the months of May to September. Winters are quite cold here with temperatures sometimes going to -17 °C in January.

Pic courtesy epriveass from flickr.com

Are you a big fan of Jurassic Park? I am. Dinosaurs intrigue me. I'm not talking about a Clifford like obsession to go to 'Dinosaur World', but I often find myself wondering what it would be like to live in those times and if there really is such a place somewhere on our planet where dinosaurs have been brought back to life.  
The closest you can get to such a place is picturesque Alberta, Canada (a 2 hour drive, east from Calgary) which is home to the Dinosaur Provincial Park. There aren't any real life dinosaurs here but the park has the largest known concentration of fossilized dinosaur bones and of other animals that lived in the water and on the land along with the dinosaurs. If you're dinosaur crazy then visit Alberta. You are bound to uncover a wealth of information about dinosaurs and about the evolution of the world that you won't be able to understand or experience sitting at home on the internet.
Apart from the park, Alberta also provides other forms of amusement such as fishing, swimming and waterskiing. After a visit to the dinosaur park you can take a hike and experience the scenery and wildlife of Canada or just laze around fishing for trout. If you want more information about Alberta's hunting and fishing regulations click here.

Pic courtesy Frank Maurer from flickr.com 

If you have decided to visit Niagara Falls and are worried about finding the right place to stay don't worry. There are plenty of very comfortable places to choose from. You could probably just land up there and book a room. Avoid peak tourist seasons if you're making a very spontaneous plan.
Visit this website if you want to take a look at some of the accommodation you can avail at the Niagara Falls. The site gives you a list of several hotels along with pictures of their rooms.
Going by the pictures, these places look lovely. To some they may be a bit expensive. If you want something more economical check out this site that claims that all their guests always exclaim about how reasonable their prices are.

Have a great vacation!

Just 17 miles north- northwest of Buffalo, New York lies one of the most beautiful sights in the world. I'm talking about the Niagara Falls of course. Not only is it a stunningly beautiful sight to behold but it is also has to be shared by two countries. The falls lie on the international border between the Canadian province on Ontario and the U.S. state of New York.
A part of the Niagara river, the falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the last ice age and water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara escarpment on its way to the Atlantic Ocean.
Known for their breathtaking beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power, the falls are a wonderful place to visit.
When you visit the falls you must take the Maid of the Mist boat cruise. Named after an ancient Ongiara Indian mythical character, the cruise carries passengers into the whirlpools beneath the falls and has been doing so since 1846. This is mostly done from the Canadian side.
From the American side you can stroll along walkways constructed along Prospect Point Park. Or you can visit Goat Island from where you can get more views of the falls. From Goat Island you can easily access the Cave of the Winds by elevator. From there after a short hike you can get to a point beneath Bridal Veil Falls. Also on Goat Island are the Three Sisters Islands, the Power Portal where a huge statue of Nikola Tesla has been constructed, and a walking path which enables views of the rapids, the Niagara River, the gorge, and all of the Falls.
Another attraction at the falls is the Whirlpool Aero Car built in 1916 from designs by a Spanish engineer Leonardo Torres y Quevedo. It is a cable car that takes passengers over the whirlpool on the Canadian side.
If the sight of the falls makes you feel lucky then you can try to make a quick buck at any of the several casinos on both sides of the falls.

Pic courtesy Derek Purdy from flickr.com

When anybody thinks of Canada they picture glaciers, secluded lakes and forests. However, Canada's charm is not restricted to its natural splendour. Even the cities in Canada are interesting to visit. Whether you want to go trekking or watch live theatre, Canada will promise not to disappoint you.
The most popular tourist destinations in Canada are Vancouver, Calgary, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax and Victoria although you don't have to restrict your visit to these places. There's so much to see in Canada!
To visit the official Canada tourism website click here.
Canada is a country that occupies most of Northern America and extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. It is the world's second largest country by total area.
Originally inhabited by aboriginal people, Canada was occupied by British and French expeditions in the 15th century.
Although Canada is quite large in area it has low population density. This might be because it gets quite cold in Canada. Average winter and summer temperatures across Canada vary depending upon the location. Interior locations face harsh winters where the daily average temperatures are near -15 °C but can drop below -40 °C. On the east and west coast average high temperatures are generally low, around 20 °C.
Canadian culture has historically been influenced by aboriginal, British and French culture. It has also been influenced culturally by America owing to their proximity.

Pic courtesy Taylor Dundee from flickr.com

You trip to Lamu Island in Kenya will be quite an adventure. You have several options just for your accommodation. You could choose to live in a luxury hotel that caters to international travellers or you could experience local culture and live in a traditional house with a palm thatch roof and woven matting covered floors. Although, going by the pictures, the traditional houses seem to be more luxurious. To read about the traditonal accommodation click here.

If you want to stick to staying in a hotel that has been tried and tested you could try this hotel.

Eco tourism is acquiring a lot of attention in the times we live in. Being a responsible traveller has become all important to have a good time. The guilt of leaving a beautiful environment tainted with human waste is something that's difficult to get over. Most popular tourist destinations get affected by too much tourist traffic so much so that in several places, resplendent forests make way for hotels and malls to entertain a constantly growing tourist population or ancient heritage structures crumble with too human activity.
Thus Eco tours present us with the opportunity of being responsible tourists.
In today's blogs I am going to talk about the eco tourist destination of Lamu. Lamu is an archipelago in Kenya which is rich in biodiversity. Lamu Island, which is a part of the larger archipelago, is linked by ferry to Mokowe on the mainland and does not allow motorized vehicles on it. Once you reach Lamu Island, you can only travel by donkey. This island is famous for its Swahili architecture and culture.
To read a detailed article about the wonders of this small island click here.

Pic courtesy harlemdakota/ Sean Lee from flickr.com

Have you decided to go on an eco tour for a change? If you have, then check out this website. It offers you details about several tour operators who specialize in these kinds of tours as well as identifies particular tours that you may want to try out.

For a website that specializes in eco tourism click here. This website offers tours to places that are remote and full of wild charm.

An eco tour is an opportunity to indulge your wild side. So take a trip to the frozen plains of Alaska to do a bit of river rafting or go on a trek in the Green Mountains of northern Vermont. An eco tour is an adventure of a lifetime that you don't want to miss out on.

If you're environmentally and socially conscious and choose to visit places where you get a chance to volunteer and learn new ways to live on the planet then you are probably an eco tourist.
Destinations with a diverse flora and fauna and a rich cultural heritage are primarily what attract an eco tourist. Several sources define eco tourism as a concept, an experience that enriches the lives of those who make it a point to delve into researching and understanding the environment around them. Eco tourism gives us insights into our impact on our environment as well as inculcates a deep appreciation of natural habitats around the world.
At it's best, eco tourism minimises the negative impact of conventional tourism on the environment and also reinforces the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an important part of ecotourism is to encourage recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation, and to create economic opportunities for local communities.
To read about Eco Tourism in detail click here.

I hope I have captured your imagination with the wild allure of the Galapagos islands. Since I have already talked about package tours I thought I should say a little about the kinds of accommodation you are expected to find there.

Galapagos is well prepared for travellers of any kind. From villas, cottages and beach houses to condos and homestays, your stay on the islands will be comfortable and memorable (for all the right reasons of course!)

For a complete step by step guide of the things you must do from the time you take your flight visit this website.   

If you want specific information about a vacation home or villa you can check out this site. For a luxury vacation stay visit this website that also offers its patrons, tours of the islands.

To go on a special familt wildlife tour check out this link.

Everybody doesn't have a positive experience when they go on a vacation. When they do have a good time, they have extremely amusing stories to tell. To read one such story check out this website.

The vibrant biodiversity of the Galapagos holds immense allure for the nature enthusiast. Darwin's enchanted islands offer several options to have a good time for the travel buff from nature trails and scuba diving to whale watching and cruises. If you want to go on a tour or cruise click on this site as it offers you discounts.

If you want to know more about the conservation programmes and charities associated with the island or if you just want to know the latest news updates from the island you can visit this site.

For luxury tours and cruises visit this site.

Pic courtesy Marshdude/ Peter Marshman from flickr.com

The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands west of Ecuador in South America, in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are a province of Ecuador and are a part of its national park system. Famous for the numerous endemic species found on them, the Galápagos Islands also offered inspiration to Charles Darwin whose studies of the islands contributed to his famous 'evolution by natural selection' theory.
Famous for its natural beauty and biodiversity, the archipelago was named after one of the most unique animals found on it, the Galápagos Tortoise. 'Galápago' is an old Spanish word which means saddle and the shell of the tortoise resembles an old Spanish saddle, hence the name.
The group consists of thirteen islands many of which are still being formed from volcanic eruptions in the Pacific Ocean. This is taking place because the archipelago lies atop the Galápagos hotspot, a place where the earth's crust is being melted from below by a mantle plume. In May this year, the island of Isabela saw volcanic activity after a period of ten years.
The biodiversity in all the islands is so rich that you might spot animals that don't exist anywhere else on the planet. For instance the vampire finch which feeds on the blood of red- footed boobies and the Galápagos tortoises can be found only on these islands. If you visit Wolf Island you will get to see fur seals, marine iguanas, sharks, whales and dolphins while Santa Cruz Island is the headquarters of the Galápagos National Park Service and also houses the Charles Darwin Research Institute. Both these organisations operate a tortoise breeding center here. The Highlands of Santa Cruz have a vibrant vegetation and are famous for their lava tunnels. Large tortoise populations are found here. Black Turtle Cove is a site on the island that is surrounded by mangroves frequented by sea turtles, rays and small sharks that sometimes use it as a mating area. Cerro Dragón is another such site on the island, known for its flamingo lagoon.
For a complete understanding of the unique qualities of each island click here.

Pic courtesy Richard Pluck from flickr.com

The city of Arequipa has several beautiful hotels to suit your particular needs. If you're a student then you could stay at a youth hostel at half the price of a three star hotel. For a website that gives you several options for your stay in the city and also click here.
To read entertaining blog entries of the adventures and misadventures people have had in Arequipa on travelpod.com click here.
If you want an authentic experience, you could book your room in hotels that claim to have been occupied by colonial authorities in the past. One such hotel is the El Conquistador. If the images of the hotel on the website are an indicator then your stay there is guaranteed to be interesting. You can see their website here.

Pic courtesy wanderingz/ Zach Anthony from flickr.com

Peru, a country rich in heritage, has so many wonderful places to visit besides the Incan ruins of Macchu Pichu, which are what its famous for. Another city of Peru that should be of particular interest to the avid traveller is that of Arequipa. Also known as 'Ciudad Blanca' or white city, Arequipa is famous for the exquisite architecture of temples, convents, big houses and palaces in white ashlar, sculpted as filigree.
Not only is the city picturesque, but Arequipa also has perfect weather around the year. Everywhere you look, all you see is sublime beauty. The countryside surrounding the city is also very beautiful with such sights as the Colca Canyon, Colca Valley and the volcanic Misti, Chachani and Pichupichu mountains at drivable distance.
The city itself has been declared a cultural World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is one of the best architectural treasures of Peru during the colonial times. Its temples, houses and other structures have been constructed in colonial-mestizo architecture.
For more details about the various places to visit in Arequipa visit this site.

Pic courtesy martintoy/ Martin Garcia from flickr.com

The city of Cusco is quite a hotspot for tourism so finding a place to stay that suits your particular needs is easy to find. Most of the accommodation available in the city is quite reasonable. If you find it uncomfortable to live in a hotel room you can even experience the rich culture of Peru firsthand by staying with a Peruvian family. To find out more details about homestays check out this website that arranges homestays in Cusco for tourists from all over the world.
If you want to avoid the tiresome task of doing everything on your own, from booking a hotel room to trying to identifying the right tour, then you should look at the several package tour options that are available. Click here for a comprehensive guide to the tours available in Peru.
If you want your tour to be full of adventure then you can choose a package tour that specializes in nature trails and treks through the breathtaking Urubamba valley also known as 'The Sacred Valley of The Incas' or through the Andes Mountains leading up to Macchu Pichu. For such a package tour click here or here.
There are so many accommodations to chose from. How do you know which ones the best? If you want to read tourist reviews or see what rating other tourists have given different places of accommodation in the city click here or here.
Like in all other South American countries, you may see a lot of poverty around you in the city of Cusco. If you are the kind of person who cannot have fun when you see so many people suffer then maybe you should choose to stay at the Ninos Hotel. All profits made at the hotel are spent in providing for the meals, education, and medical care of Peruvian street kids. 
Ian Hsu, whose picture of the Ninos hotel from flickr.com has been displayed above, has this to say about the hotel.

A wonderful place to stay, it echos with the sound of children's laughter during the day.

To read more about this novel and beautiful hotel and about the Dutch couple behind the idea of creating such a place click here.

Ruins of the palace of the Incas, the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Virgins of the Sun can still be found in the city of Cusco even though it was ransacked by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizzaro in 1535. There are still Inca building remains, which in some cases have proved to be stronger than the foundations of modern-day structures in Peru. Among the places you must visit in Cusco is the cathedra of Santo Domingo.
You can also travel to what is presumed to be Sapa Inca Pachacuti's winter home, Machu Picchu, which can be reached on foot by an Inca trail or by train. Other major Inca sites nearby are the fortress at Ollantaytambo and the fortress of Sacsayhuaman.
If you want to avoid the usual crowd of travellers you can visit lesser-visited ruins such as the Inca Wasi, the highest of all Inca sites, Old Vilcabamba the capital of the Inca after the capture of Cusco or the sculpture garden at Chulquipalta as well as Huillca Raccay, Patallacta, Choquequirao, Moray and several others.
Cusco's main stadium, Estadio Garcilaso de la Vega, is home to one of the country's most successful soccer clubs, Cienciano. Cusco's local team has made a name for itself in the world of club soccer, and has won several international competitions in South America.
To travel to Cusco you must book a ticket to the Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.

Pic courtesy koala.like.rock from flickr.com

Visit the historic capital of the Inca Empire and discover a lost city after travelling through the jungles of the sacred Urubamba valley. Cusco, a city on the south- eastern side of Peru is very near the Andes mountain range and was the capital of the Inca Empire during the reign of Sapa Inca Pachacuti. It is a vibrant city where your stay is guaranteed to be anything but boring.
Steeped in history, Cusco was home to the Killke culture prior to the arrival of the Incas. This year archeologists have even discovered the ruins of an ancient temple with a roadway and irrigation system at Sacsayhuaman a famed fortress overlooking the Inca capital that carbon dating techniques have revealed, was built by people of the Killke culture in the 1100s.
Cusco is also the closest city to Macchu Pichu, often referred to as 'The Lost City of The Incas' which is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba valley.
The influence of different cultures on Cusco from the Killkes, the Incas and later the Spaniards has left a deep impression on the city from its architecture, its festivals and food to its traditions and customs. This undoubtedly adds to the sheer richness of your experience in the city.

Pic courtesy Luke Redmond from flickr.com

A country with a rich culture, steeped in tradition with a history that dates back thousands of years has such enigmatic allure for the enthusiastic traveller that they brave all odds of unfriendly climates, hostile natives and rugged terrain just to get a glimpse of something very unique. South America is one such continent. Made famous by the adventures of the lead characters from the Tintin series of comic books by Hergé, South America is well known for several natural wonders. Amongst them are the world's highest water fall in Venezuela called Angel Falls, the longest river, the Amazon River, the longest mountain range, the Andes and the largest rainforest, the Amazon rainforest. South America was also home to the Incan civilization and has one of the largest deserts in the world, the Attacama.

Tourism is an important source of income for many South American countries. Their rich history, architectural and natural wonders, diverse range of food and cheerful and vibrant cities charged with energy as well as their stunning locales attract millions of tourists every year. Some of the most popular tourist destinations are Macchu Pichu which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Punta del Este, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, San Andres and the Galapagos amongst others.
Though you may not find yourself having as big an adventure as Tintin, you will definitely love visiting any of the thirteen countries in South America.

Pic1 courtesy Da_Vinzy from flickr.com
Pic2 courtesy alobos/ Armando Lobos from flickr.com

If you have been following the posts on this blog then you have probably noticed that I'm quite enamoured by the quiet charm of the Batanes islands on the northernmost tip of the Philippines. Uncongested by tourist traffic, these islands are picturesque and serene and to top that, they have a long history as well, thus making them culturally very rich. The islands are the only part of the Philippines to have large settlements of the Ivatan tribe.

If you are considering going to Batanes for a vacation then make sure that you go during the warmer months as the island can get quite cold in the winter. Considered the storm exit point of the Philippines, its always raining on these islands.

Check out some accomodation reviews here.

You can book your own accomodation or you can book a package tour that starts from Manila. To check out the package tour click here.

The best part about these islands is that the price of your stay is very affordable so you don't have to stress about every dollar you spend and you most definitely won't feel cheated.

If you want to experience something completely new then this may be just what you are looking for.

Batanes is a cheerful and festive province and if you happen to visit it during a festival, you can be sure that you will be included in the festivities by the warm and friendly people of the region.
The year begins with the feast of the three kings festival celebrated on the first Sunday of January to signify the gift- giving the magis did when the Christ child was born. As festive as Christmas day, this is a good time to visit the islands.
February marks the beginning of the fishing season. If you join a local fisherman, you are guaranteed to have the adventure of a lifetime especially if you are lucky enough to catch an arayu (a variety of Dorado).
March and April are the best times for trekking and in May and June several of the islands celebrate festivals. 26 June is celebrated as Batanes Day Anniversary and is usually a weeklong celebration with daily agro- industrial fairs, community sports festivals and cultural presentations.
The second week of October heralds the departure of migratory birds. They pass by in large flocks for a few days on their way to warmer areas. By November the temperatures dip, so it’s wise to stay away. But no matter what, the islands will still remain beautiful and peaceful.

Pic of Ivatan tribe at a festival in Lloilo city in Dinagyang, Philippines courtesy Aaron Paggabao from flickr.com

 A small group of ten islands at the northernmost end of the Philippine Republic, the province of Batanes is a couple’s delight. A romantic getaway that guarantees seclusion and breathtaking views, Batanes boasts of having a pristine environment. With such natural beauty, one wouldn’t need much else to have a fulfilling vacation. However, there’s more...

Batanes has a long history that goes back four thousand years. Ivatans, a Filipino ethnolinguist group who constitute the majority of the population of the sleepy island province, are descendants of Austronesians who migrated to the islands four thousand years ago. They lived in mountain fortresses called idjangs and loved to drink sugarcane wine called palek. It’s been found that they also used gold as currency. Their culture survived the tyranny of the English, Spanish, American and even Japanese who visited and invaded them at different periods in history. Some of their influences remain in the architecture of the island.

Perpetually cloudy, it’s always raining in Batanes. The best time to visit is mid-March to June but sometimes the weather is nice as early as February and as late as July with an Indian summer supposedly taking place sometime in September.
If you love the heady scent of rain drenched earth and the sweet sound of crickets chirping you will love these islands.

Pic1 courtesy shot- goon/ Dennis Tanay from flickr.com

Pic2 of Ivatan woman courtesy bingbing from flickr.com